Summary: Coon Island is known as one of the best places for primitive camping on Lake Moultrie (locals may also call this “Coon Hill Island”). There is a beautiful beach with high ground on its south side. Camping is permitted on a first come, first serve basis, and the area is large enough to support many campers.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate­­­

Distance: 7 miles, round-trip

Time: 2 – 3 hours; although, we recommend spending the night/camping on this great island!

Crowds: Moderate. You’re almost guaranteed to see boaters/anglers, and you’ll probably see other paddlers on the weekends.

Precautions: You’ll stay close to the shoreline on most of this route. Winds can intensify on Lake Moultrie resulting in waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.

Photo Gallery

Primitive camping on Coon Island is fun and FREE!

You’ll paddle across open water to get to Coon Island, but it’s easy!

When camping on Coon Island, this will be your “back porch!”

Canoe camping on Coon Island.

Restful break on Coon Island.

Camping on Coon Island.

Because of the wide and accessible beach, this is a great paddle for large groups.